PMD2: Night at Treeshround Forest
by Akiyama-64
Summary: I took a trip to Treeshroud Forest, of course I didn't need a rescue team... much. Try reviewing too, it is most helpful. Edit: Footnotes added, and this short story is complete.
1. Dare ya

This story happens in and around Treeshroud Forest in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time/Darkness. This is my first story here and I'm sure it'll be interesting to you as you read along. Enjoy.

[1, 2, 3, ect.] are footnotes that give extra possibly needed info to an item. Refer to the bottom to see what that footnote means, [1] would be 1.

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Chapter 1, Dare ya.

We were just walking a trail up in the Bluestem[1] and Indiangrass[2] laid hills south of Treeshroud Forest joking around and looking for the next interesting thing to come upon. Like that rescue team yesterday we had a nice talk with about their adventures and misadventures. We're Nuzleaves, and I'm a Nuzleaf just walking across the hill on this mostly sunny calm Spring day. The sun's position shows that it's noon right about now meaning there's plenty time left to do whatever we want. The hills have these grasses swaying back and forth from the wind's influence. I heard one of my two buddies giggle about something behind me, I knew they had a plot of some kind...

"Hey Kurt." One of them beckoned to me. "Come over here we have a dare for you..." He had his hand up to his face, rubbing his chin with his leaf backwards, and he was looking towards Treeshroud Forest in the North. That thick canopy of foliage.

"Alright..." I felt uneasy as I walked back to them. "What is it?"

"We were thinking that you should go into Treeshroud Forest for the night." He smiled. "Then if you come out the next morning you'll get a dozen good sized red apples. So how about it? You want the dare then the reward?"

"I don't know Nuzleaf." I thought to myself. "Treeshroud Forest has been known to be dangerous to anyone not ready for it, should I risk going into that forest for one night all for a dozen apples? Hmm..."

"What's the matter Kurt?" Nuzleaf grinned at me. "Are you scared of going in there? For less than twenty four hours? Come on you'll get a dozen apples isn't it worth it?"

"Nuzleaf..." I started. "I'm unsure about this, that rescue team said it's dangerous in there. Wild Pokemon an..."

"Ha ha." They both laughed. "Kurt all you have to do is get one hundred yards in there and stay in there until the next sunrise."

"I won't do it." I said.

"Funny guy." He bumped elbows with the other Nuzleaf. "You're like one of those scared baby Torchics aren't you?"

"I'm no baby. Stop mocking me you jerk." He started to get on my nerves.

"Kurt is a baby!" They sang in a tone that started to make my blood turn bright red boiling. I felt myself heating up too.

Just to make them stop I had to accept their dare. Even though I knew there might be serious problems ahead for me, which I didn't fully understand. I don't know what's in that forest, trees? Some kind of Pokemon? Grass? Water? Dirt? I didn't know that, all I knew is that rescues happen a lot around here when ever someone gets lost or into trouble.

"Alright fine!" I yelled. "I'll go in there for the night! You happy?"

"Yes!" They clapped their hands. "You are a little brave after all aren't you? Well what are you waiting for? Get down there." He pointed to the forest with both hands.

They both got behind me on either side and started shooing me towards the forest's edge, even pushing at some points if I got too slow. The trees are bigger up close than they are from afar, some of these things must be a hundred or more years old and the overhanging light shrubs surrounding the forest offered brief glimpses of these tall trees as we neared. The soft grass disappeared into a layer of wet green moss and Sepia brown dirt as we got closer. The smell changed too, from grass to flowers and various forest life. But the setting all around me slowed my pace, as if I'm not ready to be here, maybe it's because of the lack of light since the trees block most of the light out on the forest's floor.

"Oh my." I came to the first tree. "That's a massive Fir[3]."

Once we got past the Alder, Sage and Broom shrubs[4] I came to the start of the real forest. Red Cedar, Silverleaf Maple, Grand Fir and Douglas Fir[5] ruled the forest's territory.

"I'm pretty sure you'll have a lot of fun in there Kurt." They stuck their thumbs up and approved.

"Thanks..." I said, then thought. "Well not so much... I sometimes hate you guys so much for getting me into these things, last time it was jumping from the top of a waterfall to the bottom. I guess that was fun but it was so cold."

"Come on now, go explore!" He shoved me into the forest.

"Alright fine, see you guys tomorrow I guess." I turned to the dark forest ahead and walked in.

I heard them run away as soon as I got out of their sight. I guess I would have done the same if I could. This place is scary, even though it's the peak of day it almost feels like night in here because the foliage is so thick above. The sounds too make it feel ever so more dreadful, was that a bat? What was that howl? What was that...

"Oww..." I turned right into a Red Cedar "Ugh, I think I'm too focused on trying to guess what's making those sounds in the distance." I got back up and walked further in.

Hardly anything grows on the forest floor, it's bare with fir needles, and plenty of leaves in most spots. Small clearings offer berries and other brush but I suspected there was going to be something waiting for me if I went into one of those clearings so I stayed away. What did grow in the dark parts was moss, some low laying grass, and one type of flower scattered all over. It grew with oval dark green leaves and presented small fragrant white flowers, not seeming to care about the lack of light. But despite all this gloom a dozen apples will taste great once this is all over with, and hopefully they'll stop mocking me.

"What's that?" I noticed far away movement from in between the trunks of various moss covered trees. "I hope it doesn't see me..."

There's a creepy feeling that you're always being watched here... glances of figures and movements in the distance hidden by the rows and columns of black rods known as trees, I felt very pressured by this and kept turning three hundred sixty degrees every minute to watch every side. The sound of even a leaf dropping from a branch, hitting other leaves and then landing on the ground sends me spinning to see what's sneaking up on me. I facepalm when I see it was just another maple leaf.

"Huh?" I heard a twig snap on my left side from behind a Silverleaf Maple. "Who's there?"

Then a rustling noise... Closer, closer, then it stops as I reach the tree and start peaking around.

"Hmm?" Nothing there?

I walk clockwise around the tree then saw yellow legs... Looked up and saw a Kadabra!

"AHH!" I screamed right into his face.

"What the?" He looked confused.

Silly me, I just had to attack out of fright. I fired a stream of Bullet Seed at the Kadabra, it knocked him to the ground but he wasn't very happy when he got back up.

"You punk!" Kadabra threw back his hand in a focus punch.

"Uh oh." I jumped right and saw the focus punch leave a large dent in the Maple's trunk, leaves started falling from the impact.

I used this chance to pound his head with my hands, then once he was down, I threw out some razor leaves at him. This method worked well, he groaned and it was obvious he was out. Few cuts and bruises on him but he'll live. As for me I decided to slowly walk away from the scene before anyone else showed up.

"I got myself into this already. If I back out on this dare it will be worse than not doing it in the first place." I tried reassuring myself. "No matter how scared I might be here, I still must do it."

I looked up to the canopy above my head. The holes at which light can pass through are lit with blue sky, maybe gray clouds, and in one spot the sun itself. It's almost like looking at the night sky, expect it's daytime. Then I looked into the heart of the forest, pure darkness, I am not going to get lost in this wilderness. I knew better, just stay where I am so I know where the exit is, get too deep and the exit might disappear causing me to run to circles... yeah.

A branch broke about fifty meters away, I fell to the ground and kept a low profile without movement. Indeed a whole branch broke off from the tree, but why? I crept closer to the Douglas Fir... when I got close I noticed the branch had rot outside and inside of it, totally dead.

"This forest is playing tricks with me..." I looked around. "I really thought that something was close, turns out mere gravity did this."

I stood up then turned around, Kadabra found me. Again with the red face treatment.

"I want a rematch for that." He sneered at me.

"Listen alright I was scared, I don't want to..."

"Quiet Nuzleaf." Kadabra waved his spoon at me.

"My name is Kurt..." Kadabra got more angry.

"Doesn't matter!" Kadabra waved up his arms and formed a purple aura of light, a reflect?

"Be that way..." I looked Kadabra hard, then pulled his energy towards me–Giga Drain.

"Agh." He groaned from feeling his energy drain out, then fell to the ground and started sleeping peacefully. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Whew, good thing that blocks only physical attacks. Thanks for the energy too." I walked away.

I noticed I didn't have any supplies or food or drink... Ah well it's only for the night it can't be that bad, once I wake up tomorrow I'll get a dozen apples. Can't wait for it, another few sounds too, I think they're out of range but I can't be sure with that Kadabra incident that just happened. I know you might never have been in a forest this thick, but it's creepy when it's your first time–alone. That's during day, I have no idea what night will bring for me, but it'll come unforgivably.

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Footnotes:

1. Bluestem. Otherwise known as Big Bluestem, this tall grass ranges in mature hight from one to three meters tall. Often Bluestem is simply called "tallgrass" or "prairie tallgrass". Overall it's a shade of green, but the stem base is blue-purple. This grass takes up most of the grasslands, and gives quite a desired view when the wind blows it in waves.

2. Indiangrass. During Spring this bunchgrass gets around two feet high, it grows in pale green and dusty brown clusters in areas Bluestem isn't in. Bluestem and Indiangrass both create wonderful displays of vivid color once the winds stir them up on the open land.

3. Fir. (pronounced "FUR") A general term for a tree that is evergreen (doesn't lose leaves in the winter), have needle-like or pine-like leaves, and place their seeds in pinecones to be sent out. They have the general figure you would expect from a tree, trunk, limbs, branches and twigs.

4. Alder, Sage and Broom. Alders are either trees or shrub, they lose leaves in winter, similar to birch trees, the leaves are somewhat oval and have ribs extending out of the center (average leaf). Sage (more directly: Salvia officinalis) is a small evergreen subshrub with woody stems, greenish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. Sage is also known for being a herb. Broom, it's known as Scotch Broom and if given the chance can take over an area with its fast growth, beautiful yellow flowers, and space hogging green branches. It can handle extreme weather down to negative 25 degrees Celsius, it takes a lot to kill this weed, or shrub.

5. Red Cedar, and Silverleaf Maple. Red Cedar is like a large evergreen tree, but the bark can peel easily and may be used for rope. Red Cedars can be 55-75 meters tall and three to seven meters in diameter, and the leaves form flat sprays with scale like leaves in opposite pairs that are green. Silverleaf Maples are trees that lose their leaves during winter, grow fast, commonly reach a height of 25 meters, possibly two meters in diameter, and the leaves–well the leaves look just like the leaf on the Canadian flag.

5 (next part). Grand Fir and Douglas Fir. Grand Fir grow to be 60 or more meters tall, with a trunk of two meters in diameter, have needle-like, flattened, 3-6cm long and 2mm by 0.5mm thick glossy green leaves (average fir needle I guess), and they are evergreen. Also posses good survival in case of harsh winters, can take temperatures down to -40 degrees Celsius. Douglas Fir is an evergreen with needle-like leaves extending every which way out of the twig, they can be 120 meters tall, four or more meters in diameter, and its wood can withstand high loads such as construction. The bark on all these trees is quite rough, brownish, possibly covered with green moss, and grows on the trunk of the tree.


	2. Sunset

Here's Chapter Two, review and rate. I wish to hear what's good and bad, and what to improve.

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Chapter Two, Sunset.

I decided to take a nap against a Red Cedar while sitting on the dirt and leaf covered ground. The moss was pretty thick on this trunk so I stayed there and rested, my neck ached somewhat but other than that it was okay. Then I woke up from the sound of footsteps growing close, I jumped on my feet and looked around.

"Ah! He's awake." A Plusle looked at me. "Minun should we attack?"

"No I think he looks friendly." Minun said as he looked me over cautiously. "What are you doing out here? You don't look wild at all."

"I'm here for the night because of a dare." I explained. "But what are you doing here?"

"We were just exploring this vast forest and now leaving." Plusle answered. "Do you even know what's in here Nuzleaf?"

"My name's Kurt, anyway no I don't know what's in here."

"Well Kurt." Minun started. "I just hope the Wigglytuff Guide is ready for the next client tomorrow. You shouldn't be in this dark place. I don't care what the reward for the dare might be, but there are some dangerous fire types that you should be scared of... you're not man enough to stay the night and stay unharmed."

"Well I'm still staying here, just to show that I can do it." I sneered at them then sat back down next to the tree.

"Minun you talk too hard." Plusle said. "Kurt please you won't be able to see anything in the forest at night, you can try doing this when you get stronger and faster, but why now? Why risk your well being over a dare?"

"Pifft it's been real easy so far Plusle and Minun." I relaxed my limbs. "Go on back home I'll be fine."

"Alright, but if we come and rescue you just remember that we warned you." Plusle turned away and started walking.

"Hmmm maybe you're a fool or just crazy..." Minun followed Plusle after giving me a pity laugh to my face.

"Whatever. See you later." I sat and watched them walk away, wasn't long until they disappeared into the dense woods and I became alone once again. "Hmm maybe they were on to something..."

I thought about it... yes maybe I am a fool for being here without knowledge of what I'm getting myself into. But it's getting dark now... I think it's nearing sunset judging by the orange light I can make out in the holes above. My Nuzleaf buddies must be sleeping out on the grassy hills right now, lucky. There's no way I'm going to have an easy night's sleep tonight, the sounds are actually getting louder as the night approaches. Louder... that can't be a good sign, more wild Pokémon are going to be out and about, oh great. So I got up and started walking around, that way I'll be harder to find.

"Hmm." I thought to myself. "Always could just play it safe and run away now... but I'll show them, I'm good enough to do this.

So I did, I walked around in a low-profile manner. Avoiding sight of any wild Pokémon and keeping light feet as to avoid breaking any twigs which would alert the nearest predator to my spot. The lighting went away soon enough, leaving me to just find a large diameter Grand Fir to hide behind, stay still and breathe easy. I can not see anything out here, and it's probably only twilight right now.

"I can't speak a word..." I reasoned in my mind. "It's not the peak of night yet, but this is the darkest night I've ever been in so far. Basted Nuzleaf, they better have good apples for me when I get back... I'm really getting scared of that Noctowl that's somewhere out there in the trees."

Seeing my hand was difficult enough, if I move anywhere I could snap a twig and I'll be surrounded if I'm unlucky. They're out there... Howls, growls, barks, hoots, and every now and then there was awkward silence in which nothing hooted or even made a sound. The silence is worst though. The night's wind–which passes me by as slow as a Slugma even makes me think that someone is behind me–breathing down my neck as I strain to hear even the slightest sound. I must be turning my head every which way every second when the howls get close.

"What's that?" I thought as I heard soft footsteps coming my way. "Better not try to look..."

The rustle of feet or perhaps paws became eerily quiet as they reached the tree I stood against. A scent of charcoal presided in the air as I stood there, a fire type? If it sees me I'm going to be a pile of embers to be blown into the wind, how dangerous! Then it dragged its feet on the ground, I heard sniffing, then silence that almost forced me to take a peek. Finally to my relief the rustle started again and moved away from me, I opened my mouth and allowed the air to flow in. I almost coughed from taking in a puff of soot, but instead I stayed put and waited for the footsteps to be gone.

"Darn." I cursed my self mentally. "I can't escape now it's too dark to know where I'm going, I have to wait until daybreak to know where I'm going. This is worse than being blindfolded, I may think I know where I'm going, but instead I'll probably just crash into another tree and get a headache."

My heart pumps like a rubber ball hitting a table and bouncing over and over again as I was out there. This was the most dangerous thing my body did out here, if something got close enough to me they may hear my pulsing heart then charge at me since I'm prey to them. So when ever I thought the sounds were most distant from me (and thus any wild Pokémon are also most distant) I took deeper breathes and tried relaxing my clenched face, legs, arms... body. My hearing became acute and once the night became its worst I could hear sounds that were perhaps a kilometer or so away in this wilderness. However, this pressure just made me fear more and rest less.

"Ah great now I'm hungry." I felt my stomach squeeze. "Just gotta wait..."

I must have been lucky, I survived the night without being found by anything or anyone, heck I couldn't even find myself. Leaves cracked as they fell to the ground, Noctowls hooted all around, dogs howled, branches cracked, twigs snapped, and things stirred. Too bad Jirachi wasn't here to grant me a wish, you know what I would have wished for. Salvation.


	3. Morning

Here's the final chapter of this short story, now have fun. Remember to give me some feedback too, it really does help knowing what others think.

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Chapter Three, Morning.

"What?" I noticed the slightest beam of light from the east. "C-could that be the sun? At last..."

The canopy's holes reveal that those dust sized partials known as stars are starting to fade in the skies. That could only mean one thing, sunlight. But I stayed silent as I am aware that this forest may still pull tricks on your mind. But as I noticed my feet's positions it became clear to me that morning is coming. The noises that ruled the night went asleep as morning peeled back the night sky. I began seeing further and further into the forest, much better than it was at night.

"Hmmm..." I started to plan my escape. "Once I know where to go, I'm beating it and getting out of here so I can get my reward then curse my friends."

From what I could make out from below the canopy's roof, the sky is turning from that deep navy blue sea into that well known clear sky blue of day. A few patches of gray but there weren't that many of them. No sun yet, but it is covered up by the forest's density from all sides.

"I think it's that way I get out." I looked at the way where I think I came in. "Y-yes that is where I came in. Alright just about time."

After a short while I pushed myself off of the tree, when I turned my whole body to look back at where I was standing the whole night I noticed my imprint on the Islamic green moss. Legs, torso, but my head and arms appeared to have moved every now and then judging by this imprint. I found it interesting that the moss was able to make a decent Nuzleaf figure, then I walked towards the exit giving a brief sigh of relief as I planted my feet up and down.

"These trees are so big that the bark can be an inch or more thick." I saw a slab of Russet brown Douglas Fir bark as I moved onward. "Hmm? Did I hear something?" A branch snapped some thirty meters behind me.

I swished my whole body around to see what made that noise. I gasped as a Ninetales came into view from the shadow of a tree. It saw me, turned its head then its whole body towards me as if ready to strike.

"FOOD!" The Ninetales screamed at me then leaned back, my guess is that it's going to jump.

"...Screw this." I spun myself around curving a half circle in the bronze dirt.

I really ran fast after that Ninetales lunged after me, plowed through every bit of dirt, moss, grass and flowers. I didn't notice much else though I just ran out the way I came, the trees got smaller, shrubs and flowers became targets for Ninetales' Flamethrower. But once I leaped out into the horizon to horizon grassland the Ninetales seemed pleased with giving me a marathon and went back into its forest. Dang... That flamethrower was lucky to miss me, pillars of slate gray smoke rise from the Amber orange flames, then I see those two Nuzleaves running towards me from the west. About time...

"Hey!" They called out to me as they neared. "Kurt! Are you okay!?"

I stood up and awaited their arrival. I noticed an olive colored sack on one of their backs, that must be the apples I thought. Better be good apples...

"There you guys are." I said. "Well?"

"Yep just as promised you'll get to eat twelve apples." The Nuzleaf with the sack proclaimed as he lowered the sack to the Kelly green grass.

"How'd you like the night?" The other one asked.

"I'm never doing one of your dares again." I glared at him with a clenched fist and slight growl.

"Whoa whoa, how bad was it?" They asked as if unaware of my adventure.

"Almost got eaten, or even burned!" I stomped my feet and threw back my arms. "Do you know how dark it gets in there?"

"Um uh, sorry?" He brushed the back of his head trying to find an apology.

"Sorry! That's all?" I punched him in the face. He fell into the grass and groaned a bit.

"Ugh, Okay okay I deserved that." He admitted. "Next time we'll actually understand what we'll getting into alright?"

"That's a lot better." I said. "Now the apples please."

"Go on and eat as many as you want Kurt, please don't punch me though."

"Thanks." I took the whole sack and began eating the Scarlet red contents known as apples.

My Nuzleaf buddies sat next to me with their legs out in front as I ate away, they looked at the ground with their faces loose. Then they both looked at me and said.

"You could have died in there huh?"

"Yes I would have, I got lucky."

"Well Kurt we were just thinking that it was pretty stupid of us to dare you like that. Our faces are regretful you see."

"Hmm." I looked at their faces to check. "Why yes I suppose you are truly regretful for this. Just remember to think next time alright?"

"Will do!" They both agreed.

The sun finally rose above the forest's frame, we felt it's blessed warmth and life that grassy types enjoy. We all smiled and patted each other on the backs. The grasslands on the hills behind us and the fields on either side began to stir from the wind's force, showing waves upon the vast greenery like waves upon the vast blue seas. From this experience these three Nuzleaves ought to know better when it comes to dares or doing anything they don't know about. They might learn their limits as of now, their strengths, their weaknesses, and of course wisdom. But what they really learned for now is that Treeshroud Forest is no place for them to play in.

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That's the end of it, now this short story is complete and done with. I hope you have enjoyed it as others have, seriously I've been hearing good things about this story from those who have read it THEN reply/review it. So yeah I hope you have read, understood and enjoyed this story, otherwise there's a chance you missed out. Have a nice day.

Rate and review.


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